Ronnie O’Sullivan compares himself to Roy Keane and reveals moment he ‘wanted to kill’ former coach

10 months ago 62

RONNIE O’SULLIVAN compared himself to Roy Keane after wanting to “kill” his former coach.

O’Sullivan was furious when he spotted Del Hill helping out his rival Graeme Dott before the 2004 World Championship final.

Ronnie O’Sullivan compared himself to Roy Keane after wanting to ‘kill’ his ex-coach[/caption]

Hill – not working with Rocket at the time – departed the Crucible after his players were all eliminated.

But he returned before the final, much to the shock of O’Sullivan, as revealed on the Stick to Football podcast with Sky Bet.

O’Sullivan said: “I didn’t mind him doing that.

“It wasn’t that he was coaching another player… he had three or four players at the Crucible and they all got beat then he disappeared.

“I didn’t see him for ten days and then ten minutes before the final he’s getting the balls out for the fella [Dott] that I’m playing.”

An enraged O’Sullivan felt betrayed and was ready to show the temper of Manchester United legend Keane.

He told Keane on the podcast: “You know, I recognise a bit of myself in Roy.

“I wanted to kill him, I want it to have it, you know. I was fuming. I thought: ‘How could you do that to me?’ I was gutted.”

O’Sullivan got off to a dreadful start against Dott, trailing 5-0 at one point.

But the inspired snooker legend fought back to secure his win world title with a 18-8 victory.

O’Sullivan, 47, is now a seven-time world champion while Dott, 46, is still playing and won his only world title two years after the 2004 loss.

O’Sullivan beat Graeme Dott in the 2004 World Championship final[/caption]